CHEN/EVEN 4386 Lecture 1

Introduction to Air Pollution

- The Atmosphere
- Definitions and Types of Pollutants
- Important Air Pollutants and Their Effects
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Important air environmental

problems
Urban Ambient Air
Air toxics
Acid rain

Ozone depletion
Global climate change

What is the Atmosphere?

Gaesous envelope surrounding the Earth
Mixture of gases, also contains suspended solid and liquid particles (aerosols)
Aerosol = dispersed condensed phase suspended in a gas
Aerosols are the visible components of the atmosphere
Pollution haze over East Coast

Dust off West Africa

Vertical Structure of the Atmosphere

Mesopause

Stratopause
Tropopause
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Troposphere
The lowest layer of the atmosphere
extends from the Earths surface up to the
tropopause, which is at 10 to 15 km
contains about 90% of the total mass of
the atmosphere
divided into the boundary layer (from the
surface to above 0.5 -3 km) and the free
troposphere, which is rest of the
troposphere
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 Stratosphere
Extends from the tropopause to the stratopause
(~45-50 km)
Contains natural ozone layer which absorbs
ultraviolet sunlight

Mesosphere
Extends from the stratopause to the mesopause
(~80-90 km)

Thermosphere
The region above the mesopause
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The Natural Atmospheric Environment

Trace Gases

Greenhouse
Gases

Gas

% by volume ppm

Nitrogen (N2)

78.1

Oxygen (O2)

20.9

Argon (Ar)

0.9

ppm by year
2000

Neon (Ne)

18.2

Helium (He)

5.2

Krypton (Kr)

1.14

Xenon (Xe)

0.09

Carbon Dioxide
(CO2)

280.0

360.0

Methane (CH4)

0.75

1.75

Nitrous Oxide (N2O)

0.27

0.31
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What is Air Pollution?

Air pollution: Presence of
one or more contaminants
in the indoor or outdoor
atmosphere in such
quantities and durations as
to be or may be injurious
to human, plant or animal
life, or property.
Air pollutant: A harmful
contaminant in the
atmosphere
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The Problem Air Pollution

American Lung Association (2009): > 60%
of the populations (~186.1 millions) in the
U.S. live in counties where they are exposed
to unhealthful levels of air pollution in the
form of either ozone or short-term or yearround levels of particles.

Air Pollutant Phases

Air pollutants are found in three phases
Gas: e.g., ozone, carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur
dioxides, etc.
Liquid: e.g., some organics, aqueous phase ions
like sulfate and nitrate
Solid: e.g., non-aqueous phase ions, crustal
material, elemental carbon

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Important Air Pollutants

Sulfur dioxide (SO2)
Primary
Pollutants

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)

Carbon monoxide (CO)

Lead
Ozone (O3)
- precursors: NOx, VOCs, etc.

Secondary
Pollutants

Particulate matter (PM) PM2.5

(particulate matter with an aerodynamic
diameter less than 2.5 micrometers)
- precursors: SO2, NOx, NH3, VOCs, etc.
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NADP

The National Atmospheric Deposition Program monitors precipitation

chemistry providing data on the amounts, trends, and geographic
distributions of acids, nutrients, and base cations in precipitation
The program is a cooperative effort between many different group,
including federal, state, tribal and local governmental agencies,
educational institutions, private companies, and non-governmental
agencies.
The Mercury Deposition Network (MDN) joined the NADP in 1996,
and currently has over 100 sites in the United States and Canada. All
MDN samples are analyzed for total mercury, and some for the more
toxic methyl mercury.

http://nadp.sws.uiuc.edu/
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Units of Air Pollutants

Mass Concentration
g/m3: g = 10-6 gram
- Mainly used for particulate matter, sometime for
gaseous species
Mixing ratio
ppm: parts per million
- # moles of compound /106 moles of all molecules
present
- used for gaseous species, e.g., O3, CO, SO2, etc.
ppb: parts per billion
- # moles of compound /109 moles of all molecules
present
- Used for gaseous species, e.g., O3, CO, SO2, etc
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National Ambient Air Quality

Standards (NAAQS)
Primary Standards

Secondary Standards

Pollutant

Level

Averaging Time

Carbon Monoxide (CO)

9 ppm

8-hour

35 ppm

1-hour

0.15 g/m3

Rolling 3-Month Average

Same as Primary

1.5 g/m3

Quarterly Average

Same as Primary

53 ppb

Annual

Same as Primary

100 ppb

1-hour

None

PM10

150 g/m3

24-hour

Same as Primary

PM2.5

15 g/m3

Annual

Same as Primary

35 g/m3

24-hour

Same as Primary

0.075 ppm

8-hour

Same as Primary

0.12 ppm

1-hour

Same as Primary

0.03 ppm

Annual

0.14 ppm

24-hour

75 ppb

1-hour

Lead (Pb)
Nitrogen Nioxide (NO2)

Ozone
Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)

Level

Averaging
Time
None

0.5 ppm

3-hour
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None

CO: Major Causes for Concern

Carbon monoxide can cause harmful health
effects by reducing oxygen delivery to the body's
organs (like the heart and brain) and tissues.
Cardiovascular Effects.
Central Nervous System Effects.
Smog. CO contributes to the formation of smog
ground-level ozone, which can trigger serious
respiratory problems

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Control of Motor Vehicle

Emissions
Year

Control Action

1970

Clean Air Act sets first auto emissions standards.

1974

EPA sets fuel economy standards.

1975

First catalytic converters are used for CO and hydrocarbons.

First use of unleaded gas in catalyst-equipped cars.

1983

Vehicle inspection and maintenance programs established in 64 cities.

1990

Clean Air Act Amendments set new tailpipe standards.

1992

Oxyfuel introduced in cities with high CO levels.

1994

Phase-in of new vehicle standards and technologies begins

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CO Air Quality Trend

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Lead: Health Effects, Trends and

Emission Sources
Reproductive problems (in both men and women)
High blood pressure and hypertension
Nerve disorders
Memory and concentration problems
Muscle and joint pain

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